This is one of those days when I feel bewilderingly alienated. All around me, people are excited about yesterday’s Derby. They’re loving that this longshot won, see it as a great moment for the sport, are digging his connections. I just don’t get it. I’m pretty psyched that one of the people with whom I…
So says a 1949 New York Times article by Arthur Daley on the passing of Matt Winn. The article was called “The Passing of a Legend,” and what he “made” is the Kentucky Derby. Matt Winn, a racing impresario if ever there was one, worked at a dozen or more tracks in his life, but…
We’ve finally come to the end of the line after three long months. The field for the 135th Kentucky Derby has been drawn and all that’s left is to spring the latch. I think we’ve covered the field from every standpoint possible so let’s take a look how the race might be run and then…
Now there’s a headline you thought you’d never see—and may well wish you hadn’t. For months now, Brian has been providing thoughtful, detailed, data-based analysis of the horses Derby-bound, including information on breeding, distance limitations, and surfaces. But with all due respect to him, he has left out one crucial factor: the horses’ names. So…
In the sort of cross-promotion that multi-platform media has made common, CNBC on Thursday night aired The Business of Horse Racing, a look, ostensibly, at the economic state of the industry. While money was frequently mentioned through the one hour program, the program didn’t quite live up to its name, as, much to this viewer’s…
You didn’t really think only 19 would line up, did you? Of course not! Ever the sportsman, Nick Zito threw Nowhere To Hide into the mix at the last minute and we have a full field of 20 in the starting gate. Personally, I think post positions in the Derby are highly overrated, with some…
Our third and final installment takes a look at the remainder of the field. The Tuesday morning scratch of Square Eddie and the decision not to run Take The Points left the door open for Join In The Dance and Atomic Rain, and both should have a big impact on the race. –Brian Win Willy…
Part two of our installment was supposed to start with Quality Road, who would have vied for favoritism on Saturday. Sadly, he was declared from the Derby Monday morning as the result of a quarter crack. Let’s continue at our look and hope we see the classy son of Elusive Quality soon. –Brian General Quarters…
We made it through the winter and the spring preps, so now it’s time to look over the prospective field for the 135th Kentucky Derby. Entries will be taken Wednesday afternoon, but it’s never too early to get a look at the runners, their background, and the good and bad aspects they bring to the…
The Lexington Recap, by Brian NadeauThe Polytrack surface has long reminded everyone–horsemen and horse players alike–of a turf course, and adhering to that theme, WinStar Farm’s Advice made the last run a winning one in the final prep before the May 2 Kentucky Derby. With Garrett Gomez aboard, Advice sat in last of the 11-horse…
Brooklyn Backstretch 